Automatic water dispensing means



Aug. 30, 1932. A. LocKE.

AUTOMATIC WATER DISPENSING MEANS Filed Feb. 24, 1930 Patented Aug. 30, 1932 UNITED STATES ARTHUR LOCKE, F TACOMA, WASHINGTON AUTOMATIC WATER DISIENSING MEANS Application led February 24, 1930. Serial No. 430,564.

This invention relates to a dispensing means for water or other liquids, and it has reference in particular to a device for automatically dispensing definite quantities of iL S water, such as for fillling water glasses for use in restaurants, cafeteras, or similar places.

rIhe principal object of the present invention is to provide a device of the above stated A character employing a valve mechanism of novel construction for controlling the delivery and shutting off of water, a yieldable supporting plate on which a glass, or receptacle, is placed for filling, and mechanism `l5 operable incident to the initial depression of the plate due to the weight Vof the glass thereon, to open the valve for the delivery of water to fill the glass, and then operable by a farther depression of the plate following the delivery of a certain predetermined quantity of water into the glass to effect the closing of the valve to check the How of water.

Y Another object of the present invention is ,v to provide a valve mechanism which is controlled by reason of the application of weight of the glass and its contents, but is moved by reason of the pressure of the water from the source of supply.

Other objects of the invention reside in the specific details of construction of the valve mechanism proper, and its mode of operation.

Still further objects reside in the specific details of construction of the valve operating devices and their mode of operation and their relationship to the valve and its operating devices.

Still further objects reside in the adjusting and regulating means.

19 In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accomy panying drawing, wherein- 4 Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an automatic water dispensing device embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the valve "5 mechanism proper showing the relationship of its parts during a water dispensing operation.

Referring more in detail to the drawing- 1 designates, in its entirety, the outer housing of the water dispensing valve to which, 56 at the top, is connected a water supply pipe 2 leading from any suitable source of supply delivered under pressure. The housing 1 is composed of upper and lower sections threaded together, as at 4, with a suitable gasket 5 interposed to prevent leakage. The pipe 2, preferably, is connected to the housing through the medium of a nipple 6 and p he housing is disposed in a vertical axial Threaded into an opening 7 at the lower end of the housing is a nipple 8. This has a central passage 9 through which water is delivered from the housing 1, as will presently be described, and connected to the lower end of the housing by pin and slot connection, as at 10, is a spout 11 open at its lower end for the delivery of water into a glass, or receptacle, which for the purpose of filling, is placed directly below the spout. In Figs. 1 75 and 2, the glass, or receptacle, to be filled is designated in dotted lines at 12.

The housing 1 is supported by a vertical standard 13 that is rigidly fixed at its lower end to a horizontal base member 15. This base member preferably is of circular form and has a central opening 16 axially alined with the housing 1 and within which a horizontally disposed plate 17 is slidably contained to permit of its vertical movement 55 under influence of the weight of a glass placed thereon and the weight of the water delivered into the glass.

The plate 17 is yieldingly supported by a swinging lever 18, which, near one end, is pivotally mounted on a horizontal pivot 19 and at its other end presses upwardly against a nut 20 that is threaded onto a guide stem 21 fixed in theplate 17 at the center thereof. The pin extends downwardly through an opening 22 in a cross bar 23 within the lower part of the base ring 15 to guide the plate and retain it in its horizontal position. The lever 18 yieldingly supports the plate 17 in its elevated position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2,

a horizontal pivot pin 32.

VVsure to support vthe plate 17.

Y Vupwardly or downwardly and thereb the tension exerted by the spring.

`por' W99' :roin'the'housing l throughthenipple 8 and` by reason of anv upward pressure against the lever, at a point relatively'close to the pin 19, by a roller that yis mounted near one end oi a lever 3l supported below the lever 18 by @ne or more weights 33 are mounted at the end of the lever 3l opposite the roller so as to cause the rollerl to bearupwardly with sufficient pres- Dowiiward movement of the lever 3l under iniiuence or" the weights 33, is limitedbyengagement the lever with the cross bar 22, as shown in Fig. 2. A proper balancent thepl'at'e 'is eected through the adjustment of a tension adjusting spring 25, which isattaolied tothe end of the lever 31 which eXtendsJbeyond the roller 30 to a tensioning bolt 26 that is threaded througha .nut 27 rotatably retained within slot 28 in the side wall of the base' ringl. Rotation Vot the nut moves the bolt y varies lnivota'lly mounted by across pin'at'the lend ot the 'lever 3l which 'carries the weights 33is a pawl 36. This pawl has a rounded cam surface 36a its upper Ven d whichis 'adapted to be engagedby the swingingfend lever when the lattermoves downward- 1 ly. At its lower'end, the Vpawl has a hook 37 adapted'to jhook 'over 'one endet latch lever 38 that is carried by a pivot'pin 39,;V the outer end lof Vthe latch being connected y'with `a' pull lrod ,'or link, 40, which extends lupwardly withthe standard 13 and, `at its upper end,

is `connected with Ya vlever V4l supported by a 42 and extend-ed late'rally'-'froi'n the stand- Vard Lfor actuating a valve stem,fas wllpresent- 'ly 'be described for eiectmg the delivery 'of o water.

Normally Vthe parts are 1in the relation- 'shipas shownin ig. 2, 'but when Vagla`s'sl2 is Aplaced'on the plate 'l 7, 'its weight depresses ,the plate to aqcertain 'extent thereby caustherlever 18 to Vswing'downwardly and by this 'movementto cause the weighted end oft the lever Bl'to swing fupwardly( The pawl ,hoolr Yatjthe 'end oi "levefr; 3l, 'through its connection Vwith the lever pulls downwardly Y on Vthe rod 40 andthis -in turnfcauses "the valve actuating lever 4i to swing upwardly for opening scribed.

thevalve as willnow be devMo'tinted vwithin the housing -1 is a valve cylinder 45 which is open at its 'lower end and Iis"threaded at this end into theV opening of 'thev nipple8. v.fhis valve 'cylinder is closed 'at its upper end Eby a plug has openings '47 in its side walls, Aandfhas delivery ts V,'48wnear its lower `end through which r isdischargedjwhen the 'valve is open,

spout ll to the glass, or receptacle,fwlich Ais to be filled.

-Slidabl-y within the .cylinder 45 isa valve r piston 50. This extendsV well across the openings 47 of the cylinder and has a limited upward and downward movement; 1t being limited in its upward travel by engagement of'its upper endV with the plug 46, and being vlimited in its downward movement by engagement of its'lower endwith an annular seat, or shoulder, 52 formed within therlower end of the cylinder. The lower end portion of the piston'is reduced in diameter so as to provide an annular downwardly facing shoulder 53 near its upper end.l

The piston 501s of tubular form and is Y closed a'tits Elowcrfend by a plug 54, having a centraloutlet, orport, 54a, through which 'there is -eirltended-a valve stein 55. This is smaller .than the opening to provide clear- 4ance'tor flow of water about itY and it is provided with 4a Y"valve .seat 56 which is adapted to 'close downwardly against the outlet kto preventl outward 'flow o'flwater -from within 'the piston. 'he lower end ofthe valve stem 55 rests `against a head 41a at the 'end oflever4l.`V "Y y K 1 [The plugr46 which closes lthe upper 'endpof the cylinder has .a `centrally .depending 'stem portion 46a `that is extended axially within Ythe tubular 'upper end of the .piston leaving Aa clearance space Vbetween them, and within 'the' lowerend of 'this stern portion is aver- ','tical 'channel 518 `that 'is' .adapted to receive "therein the upperv end Vportion of the valve stem 55'whe'n Athelatter 'isliited'upwardflyby 'the upwardly swinging daction Voit the lever 4l.

The' upper end of the channel 158 opens latv eral'lyV from-the vstem 46a andr'there is another cl'iannei 60 leading from the upper end of the plug 46 and opening into .the .channel ,'58 at ajpoint .that will be coveredfby the upper end of the valve ystem 55 whenv the 'latter is lifted upwardly;

With thefh'ousing andvalve sofCOnstructQd, 5

`operation 'of lthe device vwould be :as follows:

vStarting with the various parts inthe relative positions asshown in tull lines inFi'g-2,

should it be desired to iill-aglass withwvater,

4the glass .is placedV on the V,plate "17. The weight of the glassdepressesfthe plate and @thereby moves its.supportinglever 18 downwardly. Downward movement of the lever18 i causes an upward swinging of lthe weighted end of lever y3l and this, through t'he .connec'tionoi1 'the pawl 36' with vthe latch lever 38 causes `the rod 40 to 'be pulled-downwardly and the outer Eendo the valvejtripflever 4l to-swing upwardly'and thereby lift'the valve Vstein 55 and to cause the upper end 'of the stem to be projected into the channel 58 of the plug 46. When the valve stem is thus lifted, its upper end portion closes ofi' the inner end ofthe channel 60 and thus prevents admittance of water to the interior of the piston through passages 60 and 58. At the same time, it lifts the valve seat 56 off of the outlet port 54 and allows the water that is then contained within the piston to escape. As soon as pressure within the piston is relieved by reason of the escape of the water therefrom, the piston will be moved upwardly due to the pressure of the water contained about the cylinder bearing upwardly against the annular shoulder 53 of the piston. This upward movement of the piston uncovers the ports 48 and water will be discharged through these ports and end of the cylinder, through spout 11 to fill the glass.

The various levers within the base of the device are so arranged that the weight of the glass just moves the lever 18 downwardly until its upwardly curved end portion 18a comes in contact with the rounded cam surface 36a'l of the pawl 36, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, but when the glass becomes filled with water to a predetermined level the weight of the glass and water then causes the end 18a of the lever 18 to move downwardly along the cam surface 36a of the pawl and to rock the pawl so that the hooked end portion 37 will be released from the latch lever 38 and by reason of this the lever 41 will be permitted to drop downwardly to the full line position in Figure 2. When the lever 41 drops, it no longer supports the valve stem and the action of the water being discharged from the housing through the openings 48 and the lower end of the cylinder moves the stem downwardly. This movement opens the channel and seats the valve 56 against the outlet 54a. As soon as this action takes place, water under pressure again enters the cylinder through the channels 58 and 60 and drives the piston to its lower limit to again close the out-let channels 48. In order to insure the downward movement of the valve stem by the action of the water being discharged, I have placed a collar about the lower end portion of the stem against which the discharged water impinges.

As soon as the filled glass is removed from the plate 17, the weights 33 cause the parts to be reset; the lever 31 moving downwardly under influence of the weights causes the pawl hook 37 to again hook beneath the latch lever 38 and the roller 30 at the other end of lever 31 cooperates with the spring 25 to move the lever 18 to raise the plate 17 to normal position.

The tensioning spring 25 and nut 27 permits an accurate regulation ofthe mechanism for the accommodation of glasses of different weight, and weights 33 of suitable size may be utilized to properly balance the plate and levers so that the operation will be properly carried out as heretofore described.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, il:

1.A A liquid dispensing means comprising a housing for containing liquid under pressure, a valve mechanism associated therewith for controlling the discharge of liquid from the housing; said valve being actuated between open and closed positions by pressure of the liquid, a yieldably supported base on which a receptacle may be placed for filling, and means operable bj1 movement of the base for controlling the valve movement.

2. A liquid dispensing means comprising a housing for containin g a liquid under pressure, a valve mechanism associated therewith for controlling discharge of liquid from the housing, a yieldably mounted support and mechanism actuated by movement of the support incident to the placing of a receptacle thereon to effect opening of the valve to discharge liquid to the receptacle and operable by a subsequent movement incident to filling of the receptacle to effect the closing of the valve.

3. A liquid dispensing means comprising a. housing adapted to contain liquid under pressure, a valve mechanism associated with the housing for controlling the delivery of liquid therefrom, a yieldably supported plate on which a receptacle may be placed for filling, means movable by the plate and operatively associated with the valve mechanism whereby the valve will be caused to open incident to an initial depression of the plate under weight of the receptacle placed thereon for filling, and which will cause the valve to close incident to a predetermined depression of the plate.

A liquid dispensing device comprising a housing for containing liquid under pressure, a discharge spout for the housing, mechanism within the housing for controlling the delivery of liquid through said spout and embodying a movable valve eiement operable between open and closed positions under the influence of the pressure medium, a. vieldable mounted support on which a receptacle may be supported for filling and linkage operatively connecting the support with the control mechanism whereby initial movement of the support, by reason of weight of a receptacle placed thereon for filling, effects the release of pressure from one side of the valve member to cause it to move to open position` and a farther depression of the plate incident to weight of liquid received therein, effects the application of pressure to the other side of the valve for closing it.

5. A liquid dispensing device comprising a housing connected with a source of liquid under pressure, a. valve mechanism associated therewith for controlling discharge of .Sli

lqudl'from thehousng'and including a" mevable valve;11e1nben-against Which thel pressure mediuinis applied-unequal@ ati opposite sides Vbe normally' retain tlieimember Vin* closed position, and a,V pressure release member opereble to relieve thepressure which holds the valve closed, a, movablel support for .a` receptecl'e to be'iilled and means operatively Connecting thesupport Withv thev pressure relief glo member whereby initial movement'V of the supportV effects movement ofthe pressure relief member to'ceuse opening oit' the valve, and a, `subsequent movement of'V the support underV Weight of the filledv receptacle effects the closing ofthe reliefy andi causes application of pressuret'o elosethe valve. l

'A Signed' at Tacoma, Washington, this 6th dey of February, 1930.'f

i Y ARTHUR LOCKE. 

